COUNTY officers are reinvestigating claims of a rat infestation at Hunderthwaite as residents turn to a local government watchdog to see if a previous investigation was carried out correctly.
Last year an investigation by Durham County Council’s environmental health officers found there was effective pest control at a pig farm along Hardings Lane and there are other potential sources of the infestation.
Residents say hundreds of rats have dug dens along a lengthy stretch of verge and hedgerow of the lane.
Keith Tiplady, who has lived at the site for the past 30 years, said he had been in touch with the Local Government Ombudsman about the way officers had handled his previous complaints.
He said the ombudsman’s office was inundated with investigations and it would take four to six weeks before the Hunderthwaite issue could be looked into.
He said: “She said there is plenty of evidence to have an investigation into it – there are plenty of sides to look at.”
Mr Tiplady said the infestation was so bad, and rat movements so frequent, that the vermin were cutting paths in fields. He added: “There are a hundred to 150 [rat dens in the hedgerow]. There is three to a family so there are a lot of them. For animals to wear a track down to the soil, that is a lot of animals. Durham County Council say you have to protect your property, so to me that is their property, the verge of the road.”
A Local Government Ombudsman spokesperson said it was not policy to confirm when an investigation is underway.
Neil Laws, public health and housing manager at Durham County Council, said: “Mr Tiplady has raised several previous concerns linking the presence of rats to the adjacent pig farm in Hunderthwaite and these have all been investigated by our community protection team.
“In the course of our most recent investigation, in September and October 2019, officers visited the site and found the farm had measures in place to deal with rats, including a contract with a commercial pest control company to monitor the site and deal with any issues. These controls were found to be appropriate and no further action or enforcement was necessary at that time.
“A new enquiry has been received and will be fully investigated. We will also co-operate with any Ombudsman investigation that is carried out. The farm and houses are in a remote, rural setting, surrounded by agricultural land and close to a watercourse. This is the natural habitat of many animals including rats. Any resident that is affected by rats on their own land can request a subsidised pest treatment from the council’s pest control service on 03000 26 1000.”
The pig farm operator was not available for comment.
